The NextGen trainer PC-21 developed by Pilatus

Posted By : MRO Business Today

Pilatus developed the Pilatus PC-21, the next generation trainer to train the next generation of military pilots so that they can understand and use them with ease. It has been developed and certified keeping in mind both capability and cost.

With air force budgets getting higher year by year, PC-21 provides a low-cost but highly efficient training platform for pilots intended to fly jet fighters, without actually requiring them to fly jets until much later in the program. To do this, Pilatus expanded the design and performance envelope to take this single engine turboprop into an area that was previously the domain of jet aircraft.

The PC-21 far performs better than all other turboprop trainers in terms of aerodynamic performance, cockpit equipment, flexibility and ease of maintenance. Training can now be done entirely in the PC-21 instead of expensive jets, which saves a substantial amount of life-cycle cost. Other PC-21 features include considerably lower fuel consumption and noise emissions.

As a manufacturer with a long history in assisting air forces to train their front line pilots, Pilatus develops completely integrated training systems. The PC-21 package uses sophisticated synthetic training devices, computer based training, and classroom instruction, all which is necessary for today’s pilot training needs.

In December 2015, The Australian Defence Force has signed a contract for the purchase of 49 PC-21. The PC-21’s for Australia will be delivered at the beginning of June 2017 and will shape the backbone of future pilot training for the Australian Defence Force for the next 25 years. In 2016, the Royal Jordanian Air Force has selected the Pilatus PC-21 Training System (8 aircraft).